Coaching Staff

Joey Garah
Founding – present
USSF C-License. Originally from Corvalis, OR.
Joey is the founder and director of Pelada Football Academy. He has been coaching in the Eugene area since 2005, and before that in the Corvallis/Philomath area since 1994. Prior to starting Pelada Football Academy, Joey founded Grassroots Soccer Clinics (2010-2012) and coached for Marist High School (2008-2012), FC Willamette (2006-2008), Goal-Line Soccer Clinics (2006-2008), Kidsports (2006-2012), Philomath High School (2003-2005), and AYSO programs in Corvallis (1994-2002). Joey holds a BA in English Literature from University of Oregon, Honors College.Contact: director@peladafa.org

Stephen Deskovic
Founding – present
USSF D-License. Originally from Buffalo, NY.
Steve is one of the founding coaches of Pelada Football Academy and has been coaching alongside Joey since the 2012 summer Grassroots Soccer Clinics season. His past coaching experience includes work with U8/9/10/11s in New York in 1991-93. Steve holds a BA in Philosophy and English from University of Oregon and works as a college writing tutor when he is not playing or coaching.Contact: coach.steve@peladafa.org

Stefan Schroffner
Summer 2017 – Present
USSF D-License. Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii.
Stefan played both soccer and football at Punahou High School, earning all-state and conference honors in both sports, including soccer player of the year his senior year. At the University of Notre Dame, Stefan began as a freshman soccer recruit but transferred his soccer skills to the football team as a place-kicker, playing for the Fighting Irish from 1991-1994 and scoring 50 points in his collegiate career. Stefan holds a BA in Economics and Pre-medicine and an MBA in Finance and General Management. Since moving to Eugene in 2010, Stefan has stayed very connected with soccer in the community — coaching youth soccer, cheering as a parent of 3 kids, playing in local recreational leagues, and serving as a board member and co-owner of Lane United Football Club.Contact: coach.stefan@peladafa.org

Muvua Alexander Matu (Alex)
Summer 2013 – present
USSF D-License Candidate. Originally from Nairobi, Kenya.
Alex grew up in Kenya, a country crazy about football (soccer). Watching professional football games on TV and learning about the sport, its geography, and terminology was among his greatest treats. Alex started his football career in middle school, as part of the Mathare Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). His passion for football doubled in High School, where he made the school team. Football games’ were supplemented by friendly kick-arounds during lunch and snack breaks, as well as long hours of watching and imitating videos of football stars like Ronaldinho and Zidane. Upon graduating from high school five years ago, Alex moved to Eugene, OR, where he met Joey at a local pelada (pick-up game) and a year later started coaching for the Academy.Contact: coach.alex@peladafa.org

Sean Dorman
Spring 2017 – present
USSF E-License. Originally from New Hampshire.
Sean has been playing soccer his entire life. He played at Nazareth College of Rochester New York (2008-2012). He was a four year starter – two time First Team Conference selection – and two time All Conference Tournament Team. He graduated with his Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy and just recently moved to Eugene. Sean has been coaching at the club and recreational level since graduation and he is looking forward to getting to know the Eugene soccer community through Pelada Soccer Academy.

Armando França Filho
Winter 2017 – present
USSF E-License. From Cataguases, Brazil.
Armando has been playing soccer his entire life. He was awarded a scholarship in 2012 to play in the United States for Monroe Junior College in New Rochelle, NY. After one year at Monroe, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of playing for a university (Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut), where he was a captain for three years and helped lead the team through many successful seasons. He was awarded ALL-CACC in 2015 and ALL-TOURNAMENT his senior season in 2016. He graduated in December 2016 with a dual degree in Business Administration and International Business. Armando has also played with the Lane United Football Club, since the team’s first season in the PDL NW Division. In addition to coaching for Pelada Football Academy, Armando is currently in the process of becoming a strength and conditioning professional.Contact: coach.armando@peladafa.org

Dakota Hanson
Winter 2016 – present
USSF E-License.
Dakota was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon. She has played soccer since kindergarten and participated in 6 years of club soccer. Dakota played two years at Pleasant Hill High School on the varsity girls soccer team; it was the first girls soccer team they had in 10 years. While at Pleasant Hill she was team captain her senior year and was awarded First Team All-League. Dakota has coached for many Kidsports teams, from boys to girls ranging in ages from 3-14. She has also coached U10 girls for the Eugene Timbers Futbol Academy. In addition to coaching for Pelada FA, Dakota is an assistant coach for the Pleasant Hill High School girls varsity team and attends Lane Community College. At Lane Community College she plays for the women’s soccer program and is majoring in Exercise and Movement Science.Contact: coach.dakota@peladafa.org

Shaelynn Cowles
Spring 2017 – present
USSF F-License. From Eugene, Oregon.
Shaelynn has played soccer since kindergarten, including seven years on club teams. She played four years with Churchill High School’s varsity squad, captaining the team for three of those years. Shae was awarded Player Of The Year in the Midwestern League as well as 1st Team All-State for 2015, 2nd Team All-State for 2014, and 1st Team All-League for the 2013, 2014, and 2015 seasons. After high school, Shae played one season for Western Oregon University on scholarship before moving back to Eugene to pursue a Business Associates Transfer Degree at Lane CC. Shae plans to apply for U of O’s Business Program after completing her degree. In addition to her competitive playing experience, Shae has worked as a soccer coach for Jordan Kent Skills Camps since she was 14, where she is now the Head Coach for their summer soccer camps. She joined Pelada FA’s coaching staff in spring of 2017.Contact: coach.shaelynn@peladafa.org

Joshua Wrolstad
Summer 2017 – present
USSF F-License. Originally from Liberty, Missouri.
Joshua has played competitive soccer from second grade through his adult years. He played for Liberty High School in the Greater Kansas City Area and spent four years playing for Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, competing in the NCAA Division III Elite Eight Tournament in 2002. After college Joshua spent several seasons playing with the Kansas City Brass in the Premier Development League. Since moving to Portland in 2009, he has continued to play in local leagues as well as with Portland City Futsal Club. Joshua moved to Eugene and joined the coaching staff of Pelada FA in the summer of 2017. Prior to that he coached for Red Star Soccer Academy in Missouri as well as Marshal HS, Franklin HS, and Eastside Timbers FC in Portland. Joshua holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from Luther College and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Portland State University. In addition to coaching with Pelada, he works at 4J’s Howard Elementary School as their BEST Afterschool Program Coordinator.Contact: coach.joshua@peladafa.org

Mark Nash
Summer 2015 – present
USSF E-License. From Eugene, OR by way of Salem, Germany, and North Dakota.
Mark is one of the founding members of Pelada Football Academy and currently serves as Treasurer. Mark started coaching in 1994 as an assistant for a Kidsports U13 girls soccer team. Since then he has coached other sports as well, including football, basketball, baseball, and softball. Mark is a small business owner and has earned a BS in Computer and Information Science and an MBA, both from the University of Oregon.Contact: treasurer@peladafa.org

Coal Taylor
Spring 2015 – present
USSF F-License.
Coal was born in Eugene, and has never lived anywhere else. He has been playing soccer since he could walk, and joined Pelada at the age of 10. He started volunteering as an assistant coach a year later, and has been both playing and coaching for Pelada every season since, joining the staff coaching program in the Spring of 2015. He is currently a junior at Baker Early College, and attends classes at LCC.

Jessica Chalette
Spring 2017 – present
USSF F-License.
Jessica has lived in Springfield, Oregon, all her life. Since around five years old, she’s been playing soccer through various organizations and clubs, eventually landing at Pelada in middle school. About two seasons later, Jessica started in the player-coaching program, and joined the coaching staff in spring of 2017. She is currently a junior at the Academy of Arts and Academics and participates in both indoor and outdoor soccer in the winter season.

Madison Wisnewski
Fall 2017 – present
USSF F-License.
Madison was born in Eugene, is currently a student at Marist Catholic High School. She has been playing soccer ever since the age of three. She has been involved with Pelada ever since it was first founded. She has helped volunteer at many past Pelada soccer camps. She joined the Pelada coaching staff in Fall of 2017.

Hans Elliott
Spring 2015 – present
USSF F-License.
Hans was born in Eugene and is currently a Junior at Churchill High School, where he has participated in 3 years of varsity soccer. He has played with many of the other coaches since joining Pelada as a player in middle school and began coaching as part of Pelada’s player-coaching program. Hans joined the full Pelada coaching staff in the spring of 2015.

Liam Elliot
Spring 2015 – present
USSF F-License.
Liam was born in Eugene and has lived here his whole life. He attends Churchill HS, where he has played three years of varsity soccer for the Lancers. He has also played for Pelada since the summer of 2012 and been part of the Player-Coaching program since the summer of 2014, training and working alongside the PFA staff coaches. Liam joined the full Pelada coaching staff in the spring of 2015.

Jonathan Fechtel
Summer 2016 – present
USSF F-License.
Jonathan was born and lives in Springfield. He is a student at Marist HS, where he made the varsity soccer team as a junior. He joined the Pelada coaching staff in the summer of 2016, specializing as a goalkeeper coach. He has enjoyed playing soccer since he was a toddler and has been a part of Pelada Academy since he was in 7th grade.

Colin Hay
Winter 2016 – present
USSF C-License. Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland.
Colin payed for Tynecastle Boy’s Club (1967-77) and Newtongrange Star U-21. Since emigrating to the United States in 1984, Colin has coached for California clubs Central Valley United (1984-86) and El Dorado United (1989-94) as well as the California Olympic Development Program. Colin moved to Oregon in 1994, where he lead Pleasant Hill High School to four League Championships and four State Semi-finals between 1994 and 2004. More recently he has coached with FC Willamette (2004-2010) and lead the Churchill High School varsity girls (2012-2015).Contact: coach.colin@peladafa.org

Chris Daniel
Founding – Spring 2017
USSF D-License. Originally from Eugene, OR.
Chris has been coaching with Joey since before the founding of Pelada FA, assisting with five teams during the 2012 seasons and with the full set of Summer 2012 Grassroots Soccer Clinics. Prior to this he was a coach in the Little Kickers program at Kick City. Chris is an alumni of Marist HS and a BA candidate at University of Oregon.Contact: coach.chris@peladafa.org

Jose Chaves
Winter 2014 – Winter 2017
USSF E-License. Originally from Mt. Vernon, Washington.
Jose played soccer until 8th grade before turning to cross-country and track, where he was a three year varsity letterman, and captain. Before coming to Pelada, he coached at Kidsports, and was a parent volunteer with EMFC’s Little Metros Program. He holds a Masters degree in Creative Writing from the University of Oregon, and was a Fulbright Scholar to Bogota, Colombia in 1999. In addition to coaching, he currently teaches writing and literature at Lane Community College.Contact: coach.jose@peladafa.org

Alex Baker
Fall 2015 – Spring 2016
USSF D-License Candidate. Originally from Eugene, OR.
Alex began coaching for Pelada in the Fall of 2015. Before that, he coached youth teams in Eugene, Oregon and in Walla Walla, Washington, where he attended Whitman College. He played four years of NCAA Division III soccer while at Whitman, under head coach Michael Washington. While at Whitman, he studied History and Spanish, receiving a dual degree in the winter of 2014. A native of Eugene, Alex played two years of Varsity Soccer at South Eugene High School, graduating in 2010. In addition to coaching, he works at Cal Young Middle School, and volunteers for the local chapter of the Special Olympics. His favorite team is Arsenal.Contact: coach.baker@peladafa.org